Libby Prison Escapees - Surnames E Through F
(18) 2nd Lieutenant Charles Warrington Earle (96th Illinois Infantry, Company C) - He was captured at Missionary Ridge in Tennessee on September 22, 1863.
He was a prisoner of war in Libby Prison from September 22, 1863 to February 9, 1864, when he escaped. He was rescued by the 1st New York Rifles. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on January 8, 1865 and also served as adjutant. Earle was brevetted Captain for gallantry and meritorious service at Chickamauga, Resaca, Atlanta, Franklin and Nashville. He was wounded twice during the Battle at Chickamauga in command of his company. He mustered out on June 10, 1865 and became a physician in Chicago, Illinois. He died November 19, 1893 and was buried in Rosehill Cemetery and Mausoleum in Chicago, Illinois. He is noted in Maj. Hamilton's account as Lt. C.W. Earle. (19) 1st Lieutenant Charles L. Edmonds (67th Pennsylvania, Company D) - He was born about 1825.
Before the Civil War, Edmonds was a foundryman. He also is listed in the CWSS as Charles F. Edmonds and in some records he is listed as Charles L. Edwards. In Major Hamilton's account, he is listed as Lt. P.S. Edmunds of the 87th Pennsylvania Infantry. He was a member of the 67th Pennsylvania and was captured Winchester, Virginia on June 15, 1863. He was 39 years old when he escaped from Libby Prison. He was recaptured 2 days later. Edmonds was transferred to Macon, Georgia on May 7, 1864 and he escaped from there in August 1864. He was mustered on December 18, 1864. He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 12, 1890 from injuries suffered in a fall from B&O Railroad bridge at the age of 55. He was buried in National Cemetery in Germantown, Pennsylvania. (20) Colonel William Grosvenor Ely (18th Connecticut Infantry) - He was born on December 11, 1836 in Killingly, Connecticut. He first served in the Union Army as a 1st Lieutenant and Regimental Commissary of Subsistence for the 1st Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He was then promoted first to Lieutenant Colonel of the 6th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry and commanded the Second Brigade. He was then promoted to Colonel and commander of the 18th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. Ely was captured at Winchester, Virginia on June 15, 1863 when he was surrounded during retreat. Approximately 800 of his men, including 33 commissioned officers, were captured. He escaped from Libby Prison but was recaptured about 4 days later. He was paroled on March 21, 1864. He had his horse killed under him and was wounded in the throat at Piedmont, Virginia on June 4, 1864. He was wounded again at Lynchburg, Virginia on June 18, 1864. He was discharged on September 18, 1864. Ely wrote the history of the 18th Connecticut Volunteers. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers on March 13, 1865 for "meritorious services during the war." He died November 13, 1906 in Norwich, Connecticut and was buried in Yantic Cemetery in Norwich, Connecticut. (21) 2nd Lieutenant James M. Fales (1st Rhode Island Cavalry, Company D) - He was born on April 3, 1835 in Rhode Island. Sales enlisted as a private and served in the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry, ultimately being promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. He was captured near Middleburg, Virginia on June 18, 1863. He was on special duty in command of Company D when captured, but normally was assigned to Company F. He also served as a sergeant in Company E. He escaped from Libby Prison, but was recaptured. He was transferred to Macon, Georgia on May 7, 1864, escaping again a month later by jumping off a train while being transported to Charleston, South Carolina. He was recaptured again and was returned to Libby Prison via Danville Prison on February 18, 1865. Fales was paroled on February 22, 1865 and admitted to the hospital for an unknown ailment. He was mustered out on March 6, 1865. He died July 25, 1893 and was buried in South Burial Ground in Warren, Rhode Island. Maj. Hamilton's published account in 1893 of the Libby Prison escape lists a W.E.H. Fentress, of the U.S. Navy and is noted as being dead. He is not in Gindlesperger's list.
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(22) Major Benjamin Franklin Fisher (U.S. Signal Corps) - Perhaps as a Major, he was captured near Aldie, Virginia on June 17, 1863. He was forced to march at bayonet point for two hours when he arrived at Libby Prison, for resisting confiscation of his war souvenirs.
He was wounded in the wrist and stomach when shot by a Libby Prison guard for standing too close to a window. Fisher led the second party of ten and he successfully escaped from Libby Prison. He had also also served in the 3rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He served as chief of Signal Corps. Fisher was brevetted Lieutenant Colonel on August 1, 1864 and was promoted to Colonel on December 3, 1864. He was promoted to Brigadier General of U.S. Volunteers (War Service) on March 13, 1865. His appointment expired on July 28, 1866 but he was not relieved from duty until November 15, 1866. He died in 1915. Maj. Hamilton's published account in 1893 of the Libby Prison escape lists a Capt. Dan'l Fransberry of the 1st Michigan Cavalry. He is not listed in Gindlesperger's book. No one with the surname Fransberry could be found in the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database.
(23) 1st Lieutenant John C. Fislar (Indiana Light Artillery, 7th Battery) - He was captured at Chickamauga on September 20, 1863.
He was selected by Rose and Hamilton to be a part of both the original and final tunnel groups. He successfully escaped from Libby Prison at the age of 24. He mustered out on December 7, 1864. (24) Major George W. Fitzsimmons (30th Indiana Infantry) - He was initially captured and exchanged at Stones River on December 31, 1862. He was captured at the Battle of Chickamauga on September 20, 1863. He was in both the original and final tunnel groups. He successfully escaped from Libby Prison. He was recommended by his lieutenant colonel for court-martial, alleging that Fitzsimmons was intoxicated during the Battle of Chickamauga, and that he hid behind a tree until captured, rather than attempting to rally his troops. (25) Captain David S. Flansburg (4th Indiana Independent Battery) - He was from Michigan. He saw heavy combat at Stones River and Chickamauga (and probably also at Perryville). At Stones River he commanded a section of guns in support of Sheridan's line in the cedars and limestone outcrops. He was wounded and captured in the first day of the Battle at Chickamauga, on September 30, 1863, while commanding the battery in combat. The battery has a marker on the battlefield deep in the woods at-or-near the spot where he was captured. (It also has another marker and a monument at locations it occupied later in the battle). He was wounded at the time he was captured. He was 32 years old when he escaped from Libby Prison. He is noted as Capt. David S. Flamburg in Maj. Hamilton's account. He was recaptured. He was transferred to Macon, Georgia on May 7, 1864, and from there to Columbia, South Carolina. He died at Columbia, while still a prisoner, of dysentery on November 15, 1864. He was buried at Florence National Cemetery in Florence, South Carolina. (26) 2nd Lieutenant Eli Foster (30th Indiana Infantry, Company G) - He was born about 1830. He was captured at the Battle of Chickamauga on September 20, 1863. At age 34, he was in the final tunnel party only, during the Libby Prison escape, although Major Hamilton's account said he was in the original tunnel party. He successfully escaped, reaching Union lines wearing a Confederate uniform, for which he had traded with a slave. He was told by Major General Butler himself to get a "more Christian-like uniform" from the quartermaster before departing. He mustered out September 29, 1864. |